Empire Strikes Back Bespin Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, IG-88

I sold the remaining childhood Kenner Star Wars figures I had six years ago, but the forthcoming 50th anniversary of Star Wars has stirred some nostalgia in me. The Empire Strikes Back might have made a bigger impression on me as I was a little older, and it's probably my favorite of the original trilogy for the same reasons as a lot of fans.

Bespin Han Solo

Not my childhood Bespin Han, but a clean sample from an eBay seller at a good price. The legs are a slightly different shade, and he didn't come with the original Bespin blaster, so I bought a reproduction DL-44 blaster, Han's actual sidearm. 

Bespin Luke Skywalker

Also not the same figure I had in 1980. I actually had a brown hair version, but this eBay sample has overall better/more even color and less paint loss. Again, I paid far less for a figure without accessories and bought repro weapons, including a gray DL-44 blaster just to make him my own. Probably my favorite Kenner Luke Skywalker figure, kinda on the lookout for another.

Retro Collection Lando Calrissian

Not a vintage figure, but a Hasbro reissue that looks very much like my 1980 Lando. I have a much deeper appreciation for the Bespin Cloud City figures like Lando, Lobot, and the Bespin Security Guard now, Lando the most colorful in his bright blue shirt. A complex character in the Star Wars Saga!

Retro Collection Empire Strikes Back IG-88 and Mandalorian IG-11 

I compulsively purchased a Retro Collection Mandalorian IG-11 around the same time as the IG-88. In fact, I felt I knew him better anyway, as we barely get but a passing glance of IG-88 in The Empire Strikes Back, but got a fully fleshed out character in IG-11 in The Mandalorian. I'd swear that one leg on both these figures is shorter than the other- they seem a little flimsy in general, to be frank. But they do like nice together.

More Later- May the Force Be with You!

Star Wars X-Wing Pilot

 The Star Wars X-Wing Pilot and I go way back- Kenner's original 3.75" figure from 1978 was one of the first of that scale I had. He wasn't my favorite Star Wars figure back then, but as an adult I have a much greater appreciation for his detailed sculpt and bright orange flight suit. This post will showcase the figures of that character in my collection.

When I found Epic Heroes Series Force Strike X-Wing for ten bucks shipped from some warehouse closeout seller on eBay, I knew I wouldn't find a lower cost option for the fighter anywhere again. Its wing expansion function is clunky, constantly causing the wings to pop off when opening them into attack position, and there's no lights and sounds, but it looks a lot like the Kenner version I had as a child. I might not have bought it at the original retail price of $30.00, but it makes a great display piece for my X-Wing Pilot collection, and it even came with a figure.

I got this 12" Gentle Giant Jumbo X-Wing Pilot (Luke Skywalker/Red Five) on sale from BBTS, the second version of this figure that comes with a removable helmet, blaster, and two lightsabers- far superior to the first release. This is the only Gentle Giant Jumbo figure I have, but I'm absolutely mad for them! Yes, his hair is already scuffed from squeezing the helmet on, but there's no way I was going to leave him in the package and not take him out to play with. I love the options on this figure!

That Gentle Giant figure was based on the O.G. Kenner 3.75" X-Wing Pilot figure, of course, two well-loved samples of which I have in my current adult collection. Mine are outfitted with modern reproduction blasters and lightsabers. 

I also have a 1:6 scale Kitbash Custom X-Wing Pilot based on the original Kenner 12" Luke Skywalker outfitted with a later '90s flight suit and custom reproduction lightsaber. I bought a few custom figures from the same seller, this one priced very attractively. He removed the foam from inside the helmet to fit this earlier figure better. The earlier 12" Star Wars figure bodies were basically Ken/Barbie dolls with little in the way of useful articulation, but the faces were so much nicer.

X-Wing Pilot Luke Skywalker with my other kitbash custom Return of the Jedi Luke Skywalker:

... and my Kenner Luke Skywalker with the Gentle Giant X-Wing Pilot ...

...and finally, the display of this small collection in my home! There's not a great deal of room for expansion, but I'm satisfied with this. 2027 will be the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, so I'm feeling a lot of nostalgia for it ahead of this milestone- a movie that had an impact on our culture that's hard to quantify.

More Later- May the Force Be with You!

Batman The Animated/New Adventures Figure Dump

The catalyst for the whole thing I can't recall, but I started buying loose Batman The Animated/New Adventures figures. Kenner produced a lot of these figures in the '90s, and I had a lot of fun buying up the numerous variants of our favorite Caped Crusader. Most of them don't have their accessories. I never had any of these during childhood, moving into adulthood and college during that era, but I did buy a lot of variant Batman figures from the Batman the Brave and the Bold line produced by Mattel years later. Here's a few too many photos I took of them in the last month or so...

1998 Kenner Batman, Dark Gray and Blue with Yellow Bat Insignia:

Kenner 1998 is stamped on the back of the legs, but I think this was released by Hasbro in 2002, included in in a 2pk with Harley Quinn ("Only in Jest"). Another more standard deco of this buck with the swoosh cape was released with a Robin figure in '98. There's also a purple/black "Gotham Crusader" version of this buck Hasbro released in 2000.

1993 Kenner Lighting Strike Batman:

Possibly my favorite of all these- the fold-out cape/glider is fantastic!

Lighting Strike Batman with Sea Claw and Land Strike Batman:

Crime Squad Sea Claw and Land Strike Batman:

Kenner 1993 Purple Batman: 

I couldn't pin down the name this figure goes by or if he was included in a vehicle/playset that year, but he a lot like the red Infrared Batman. This standard buck was used for many figures and I like it.

1994 Kenner Radar Scope Batman:

I think this is the Radar Scope Batman with someone else's cape- this buck was used again in '96 for the Vector Wing Batman, and possibly others I haven't identified.

Hasbro 2000 Mission Masters Inferno Extinction and 1999 Mission Masters Speedboat Batman:

Turbo Surge Batman and Air Strike Robin:

Is it just me, or do these two look like they are suiting up for a trip to Mars ...?

Below my 1992 Series 1 Turbo Glider Robin with Air Strike Robin...

Crime Squad Series Disaster Control Batman:

Crime Squad Series Disaster Control Batman with Mission Masters Inferno Extinction:

I love the thicker buck on these zany Batman figures ...

Hasbro 2001 Mission Masters Lunar Attack Batman:

1998 Kenner Batman New Adventures Knight Glider:

Kenner New Adventures Batman  Figures:

I'm pretty sure these are Kenner New Adventure Batmen- the lighter grey has discoloration and particularly rubbery legs. Neither of them stand well, due mostly to the heavy plastic cape. These are probably from around 1998.

Kenner Batman with my McFarlane Toys New Adventures Batman:

Hasbro 1998 Mission Masters Team Batcycle Batman and Nightwing:

These came with a bike originally, and there's a red version of this duo I'd like to have as well.

Mattel 2002 Tech Suit Batman

There was also an orange/silver/black version of this. The cape fold at the shoulders is a little bulky, but this is a cool Batman with Thomas Wayne/Flashpoint vibes in black/gray/red...

1995 Kenner Sea Claw Batman:

Yes, another Sea Claw Batman. I really like the all-black with metallic teal deco...

And finally, my Hasbro 2000 Mission Masters Mountain Pursuit Batman with my standard issue, 1998 Batman, released in the 2000 Mission Masters Series by Hasbro with a glider as the Knight Assault Batman, identified by the gold utility belt and cloth cape. He looks great, but the small feet on this buck make standing him a challenge.

Be sure to visit the online Batman The Animated Figure Checklist 

and Figure Realm's Batman Universe!

More Later- Make It FUN!